Of Mages and Elves: Mage and Thief
Author's notes: Here's yet another chapter ^_^ Thank you to all who reviewed, I really appreciate it.
Warnings: Yaoi, AU, possible OCness
Disclaimer: I've said it twice and I'll say it again, I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!
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Ishtal smirked as he entered his workshop, knowing full well that his young captive was currently hiding behind the door. Malik leapt at the Master Mage, a sharpened piece of wood in his hand. Ishtal easily grabbed the boy's wrist and threw him into the wall. Malik winced, dropping the stake. Ishtal just smirked, pressing Malik against the wall.
"Nice try, but you'll have to do better than that if you want to kill me," he told the boy. Malik glared up at him, eyes ablaze with fury.
"Don't expect me to stay here quietly!" he shot back. Ishtal smirked at him, pressing closer to the boy.
"That wouldn't be any fun now would it?" he asked Malik. They were so close now that their noses were touching. Malik struggled, attempting to push Ishtal away, but when he found it useless he just glared at the taller man.
"I hate you! I'll never stop tr-" Malik's eyes flew wide as Ishtal placed a bruising kiss on his lips. Ishtal smirked as he pulled away from the shocked apprentice.
"If you keep trying to run, Pegasus will find you in no time," he told the boy seriously. Confusion passed over Malik's face.
"Pegasus?"
"My leader. Stupid bastard hasn't even figured out you exist yet," Ishtal spat. Malik raised an eyebrow, rubbing his wrist as Ishtal released him.
"You don't follow him willingly?" Malik asked. Ishtal smirked.
""Oh I follow him willingly. How else would I get close enough to kill him?" he asked, a malicious glint in his eyes.
"What did he do to you?" Malik asked quietly, assuming that whatever it was, it had to be bad to push the Master Mage this far.
"That's none of your business. You want to avenge your Master right?" Malik nodded, still a little shocked by Ishtal's behavior. "Good," the blond Master continued. "You don't have to fear me, little one. I'm after the same thing."
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Bakura had waited until Ryou was asleep before sneaking out of the room, locking the door behind him. He glanced back at the door, than shook his head. For some reason he felt reluctant to leave the fae boy inside, and that made him mad. What right did the boy have to make him soften so easily? He hated it, the thought of such a weak being having any kind of power over him. What right did the boy have to touch him, to try and help him? He was a half-blood, one of the cursed, a lowly freak of nature. What right did the boy have to care?
The dim hallway led Bakura through a maze of corridors, openings on both sides in no absolute pattern. A slightly open door at the far end caught his eye. Dim light and a pair of soft voices were filtering through. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Bakura sauntered up to the door, peaking through the tiny cracks. One of the voices he recognized as the Master Mage Ishtal, who he had seen around the tower on a few occasions. The other he didn't recognize, but it sounded slightly similar, if younger and not as deep.
Bakura jumped as the door swung open and he found himself face to face with the blond Master Mage. There was no one else in the room. Ishtal glared at him, violet eyes flaring angrily. Bakura stood taller, glaring right back. Even if he was just a half-blood, he wouldn't back down to anyone.
"What are you doing here?" Ishtal snapped.
"Satisfying my curiosity, is there a problem with that?" Bakura spat back. Ishtal smirked.
"Curiosity eh?" he asked. "Some how I doubt that, what does old Peggi want now?" Bakura lashed out, grabbing Ishtal by the collar and glaring. Ishtal just smirked at him.
"I'm no one's message boy, got it? That red-eyed freakshow can go the hell for all I care!" he snapped. Ishtal crossed his arms.
"Do you mind? It's not like you're strong enough to hurt me anyway," he stated blandly, a mocking tone in his voice. Bakura growled and shoved the Master Mage into the wall. Ishtal stood and brushed off his robes, all the while grinning manically at the enraged half-blood. "Are you really so interested in sending that 'red-eyed freakshow' to hell?" he asked smoothly, a predatory glint in his eyes. Had Bakura not been royally pissed off already he might have thought further about telling such things to one of Pegasus' most powerful mages, however…
"Damn bastard thinks he can do whatever he wants with me just because of my lineage! I'd like to tear him apart with my bare hands!" he snapped. It was then that Ishtal noticed the various unattended cuts decorating the half-blood's body. His smirk widened.
"You messed up? Malik come out here," he said. Bakura gave Ishtal a confused look. Who the hell was Malik? A second blond head answered his question. The smaller blond was dressed in the pale robes of an apprentice, his violet eyes were wary, boring strait into the white-haired thief.
"I did what I was ordered to," Bakura snapped defensively.
"Obviously that wasn't good enough for dear old Peggi," Ishtal smirked, nodding towards the thief's wounds.
"What exactly was your job?" Malik asked curiously. Bakura folded his arms over his chest.
"Disrupt the elven court, why?" he snapped. Ishtal snorted loudly.
"That was you?! You have no idea what you did!" he gasped between laughs. Bakura stared at him.
"What?"
"You kidnapped the elven court's most powerful healer! I've been wondering about that boy they brought in earlier. He's kind of cute," the Master stated, a feral grin crossing his lips. Bakura growled. So that was what the boy had been trying to do.
"What do you mean cute?" he asked, half cringing at the word. Ishtal shrugged and smirked.
"You kidnapped him. Haven't you seen him? I caught a glimpse of the boy when he was brought through the halls," he said. Bakura growled.
"You keep your hands off-" Bakura stopped, realizing what he was saying.
"Possessive are we?" Malik asked with a smirk that nearly mirrored Ishtal's. Bakura hissed.
"I captured him. He's mine," the half-blood snapped.
"From what I hear, Pegasus apparently has a similar opinion," Ishtal stated. He wrapped his arm around a slightly surprised looking Malik's waist. "That's why I keep my prizes hidden."
"I'm not just some prize for you to win," Malik snapped, pulling back. Ishtal just tightened his grip on the boy, placing a light nip on his neck.
"Yes you are, you're mine," the mage growled possessively. Bakura rolled his eyes, watching the two. Who would have though the ruthless Master Mage had a soft spot? Malik leaned against Ishtal's shoulder, watching the thief carefully.
"The boy you captured is confusing you isn't he," he stated. Bakura scowled.
"No one that weak has any right to look so much like me. It's like looking at my childhood all over again. He's so frail and so naive. The weakling even tried to heal me!" he ranted. Ishtal chuckled, snaking his arm further around Malik's waist.
"You like him don't you," he stated blandly. Bakura blanched.
"WHAT! I do NOT like him!" he snapped. Ishtal just continued smirking.
"What's his name?" Malik asked curiously, subtly egging the thief on.
"He called himself Ryou," Bakura stated coldly. Ishtal's chuckle became a dark laugh. "What's so funny?" Bakura snapped.
"You really did kidnap the most powerful healer in the elven lands!" the mage laughed. Bakura gave him a scrutinizing look.
"Powerful? Him? You've got to be kidding," he scoffed. Ishtal just smirked at him.
"More powerful than you obviously think."
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Pegasus leaned back comfortably in his high-backed chair, a devilish smirk on his face. His eyes glinted with malicious amusement and glowed with suppressed power.
"Ah, Bakura. You should learn to shield your thoughts better. You're treachery will be your downfall. Yours, and that boy's."
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Yami was frustrated, very frustrated. He had just come out of the council room where he had met with the human ruler of Dmark and his personal court. The bastards had yet to decide whether or not they would help him.
The elven prince kicked a small stone down the hall. As he turned the corner, he was hit by a small, colorful blur. Yami and Yugi crashed, both falling to the floor. Yami looked up with a glare, ready to kill whoever dared touch him, and found himself face to face with the same boy he had seen in the courtyard earlier that morning. Yugi gasped and jumped up.
"I'm so sorry, are you ok?" he yelped. Yami just stared at him. The human boy smiled kindly, offering the elf his hand. Yami took it gratefully and stood, dusting himself off.
"Thank you, but I'm alright," he said quietly, still watching the cherubic boy carefully. He looked like a tiny angel. Yugi smiled.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"Yami," Yami replied, distantly. "And you are?"
"Mouto Yugi," the boy replied. "Please call me Yugi." Yami smiled slightly at the boy. They had a remarkable resemblance to each other. It was then that Joey found them.
"Yugi?" the blond called. Yugi looked up at the taller boy.
"Who are you?" Yami asked. Joey blanched, then bowed his head.
"Gomennasi, Yugi-san. You're grandfather told me to bring you something," he stuttered hurriedly. Yami gave the boy a strange look. The blond was obviously a servant yet he addressed Yugi so informally. Yugi gave Joey a very innocent glare, drawing a soft laugh from Yami. The boy probably couldn't truly glare if he tried.
"Joey, I told you to call me Yugi!" Yugi told the blond. Joey glanced at Yami.
"Yugi…" he muttered, nodding towards the elf. Yugi looked back at Yami and his eyes widened.
"Oh… um… Yami?" he asked, slightly worried. Joey would get in a load of trouble if someone found out about this. Yami smirked, resisting the urge to laugh outright at the situation. Joey just watched the two abnormally short look-alikes carefully. Yami's smirk widened to a smug grin.
"I won't tell anyone about this Yugi," he said. Both Yugi and Joey breathed twin sighs of relief. Joey turned to the smaller boy.
"Your grandpa found me after the meeting was over and told me to give you this," Joey told Yugi, handing him a small letter. Yugi looked the note over carefully, before cracking the seal and opening it. He read it quickly and turned to Yami.
"The council has come to a decision on the Tower," he said, voice cracking slightly. "They've refused to get involved!" Yami looked at him with sharp crimson eyes.
"What do you mean Yugi?" he asked. Yugi clenched his fist and showed Yami the letter.
"They're saying it's not their problem! They won't help you," he replied. Joey gave them both confused looks.
"Isn't the Tower everyone's problem?" he asked. Yugi and Yami both nodded.
"The Tower of Illusions was what linked our countries together. How can they not feel threatened by something that can destroy it so easily?" Yami wondered aloud. Yugi shrugged.
"I don't know, but I don't want to sit here and wait for them to attack us," he muttered. Joey grinned.
"That's the spirit Yugi! We can't just let them win!" he shouted. Yami smiled slightly, nodding to the blond.
"It's dangerous, but without the support of Dmark, I'll have to do this on my own," he said. Yugi smiled at him.
"Let us come with," he told the elf. "We might just be humans, but we can help." Yami gave Yugi a stern stare.
"This is too dangerous for the two of you. I will go alone," he said. Joey glared at him.
"So you expect us to sit here and wait? What if you fail! Even the high and mighty Prince of Elves can be killed!" he shouted. Yami glared back.
"I won't endanger you two!"
"We're already in danger!" Joey yelled back. Yami stopped, looking down at Yugi. The violet-eyed boy was watching him with pleading eyes.
"Please Yami, let us help you. I may be small, but I know some magic. I want to help," he told the elf. Yami sighed.
"Very well, I assume you'd just follow me if I said no." Yugi and Joey glanced at each other, then shrugged and nodded.
"So, when do we leave?" Joey asked. Yami chuckled at the blonde's eagerness.
"Give me time to take care of a few things. We'll leave once the sun's down."
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Author's notes: annndddd… they're off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of- umph
Bakura: *clamps hand over Cat's mouth* Baka, will you shut up!
*bites hand*
Bakura: Yowch! *glares*
*smirk* Nope, never!!!
Ryou: *shakes head* Grow up you two…*glare*
Bakura: *glares at Cat*
*big sigh* yah, yah, yah…. Anyway, please review ^_^